Single event upset characterization of the Pentium(R) MMX and low power Pentium(R) MMX microprocessors using proton irradiation

Abstract

Experimental single event upset characterization of the Pentiurn@ MMX a.nd Low Power Pentiurn@ MMX microprocessors using proton irradiation is presented. Results are compared with previous tests on the Pentiurn@ MMX, Pentiurn@ 11, and Celerm@.

Single event upset characterization of the Pentium/sup /spl reg// 4, Pentium/sup /spl reg// III and low power Pentium/sup /spl reg// MMX microprocessors using proton irradiation

“…It has a transistor count of 29 million, operates at 1.7 Vdc and has 16 kbyte of L1 code and data cache plus 256 kbyte of L2 cache, ECC protected, on the die [12]. The LPMMX (rated for 266 MHz operation), tested at 166 MHz in this paper and 266 MHz previously [4], was manufactured on a 0.25 µm gate length CMOS process. It has a transistor count of 4.5 million, operates at 2.0Vdc and has 16 kbyte of L1 code and data cache on the die [13].…”

“…The MMX's (rated for 233 MHz operation), tested at 233 MHz and 200 MHz previously [2,3,4], were manufactured on a 0.35 µm gate length CMOS process. It has a transistor count of 4.5 million, operates at 2.8 Vdc and has 16 kbyte of L1 code and data cache on die [14].…”

“…The LPMMX was the same unit previously tested [4]. The P4 testing was for proof of principle purposes as a backup to the primary candidate, the PIII based on another groups' work [18].…”

“…Based on the test results obtained and using the Figure of Merit (FOM) technique [1], the SEU rates for the P4, PIII, and LPMMX, are determined on the Space Shuttle, for the space station orbit. The results are compared with those previously reported for the Pentium MMX (MMX), Pentium II (PII), Celeron, and LPMMX microprocessors [2,3,4]. A comparison of the SEU performance of various Intel x86 processors previously tested is made [5,6].…”

“…The LPMMX was characterized for a potential space station application where the available power budget eliminates the MMX as a candidate. The additional testing reported here on the LPMMX was for the purpose of obtaining data for operation at 166 MHz rather than 266 MHz as previously reported [4].…”